Last weekend we did something quite unusual, we went out to see a band just for the fun of it – no work just relaxing to the music with a cold beer and a glass of sangria (not at the same time).

The event was the anniversary of the opening of the Casablanca Bar in Vagueira, a little town on the Portuguese coast just south of Barra, where we do most of our surfing photography. It’s also one beach up from Labrego, another great surfing beach. Vagueira now is a fantastic little town, the former stony path along the beachfront has been replaced with a new (concrete) pavement and the walkway along the back of each beach means you can walk from Barra all the way to … I’m not sure where, but it’s along way.

For the anniversary the Casablanca has put on a Blues evening, with a local band from Aveiro, the Moonshiners. The band were placed on a little stage overlooking the beach, and they were great. Later the band relocated to the rear of the bar for a second set.

There’s nothing better than dancing away to the blues as the sun sets behind the band: